The present disclosure relates to a drip chamber, for an infusion tube, with an interior surface having a hydrophobic surface, in particular, a hydrophobic surface with optical properties enabling optical imaging through the hydrophobic surface.
FIG. 5 is a pictorial representation of prior art drip chamber 200 with spurious droplets 202 clinging to interior surface 204 of the drip chamber. For purposes of illustration, FIG. 5 is presented as a line drawing. During operation of drip chamber 200, when fluids are flowing through the drip chamber, droplets of fluid, such as droplets 202, form on the interior surface of the drip chamber due to splashing of the fluid, or by evaporation of the fluid from the reservoir at the bottom of the drip chamber and subsequent condensation of the fluid on the interior surface. Droplets 202 can cause substantial problems with respect to imaging the drip chamber, for example, imaging drop 206 pendant from drip tube 208. For example, the droplets can cause errors in the measurement of the size of drop 206. Droplets such as droplets 202 in other portions of the drip tube, for example in the vicinity of a meniscus, can cause similar problems, such as errors in measuring a position/level of the meniscus.